With new, giant prisons being built to house up to 2,500 inmates and the prison population at 86,000, there arguably has never been a more important time to study prisons and punishment. Why is society’s cultural attachment to the prison seemingly unshakeable? Why does the prison population appear to rise unabated, despite falling recorded crime rates? Are new, modern prisons more effective and more efficient than the old Victorian gaols? What changes have we seen in terms of the types of offenders being sentenced to custody? And what are the most pressing challenges facing the Prison Service?

In this first Scarman Lecture of 2015/16, Professor Yvonne Jewkes, will address these questions, drawing on data from her current research, including a major three-year ESRC-funded study of prison architecture, design and technology.

This free lecture is open to graduates, students, staff and members of the public